Abdication of conscience for failing to do the right thing after decades of yammering about doing exactly that.

Joe Paterno’s legacy?

Revealing to the world the weapons-grade stupidity of many in the banana republic of Happy Valley who remain more concerned with a coach fired for gutlessly failing to act instead of little boys who may have suffered unspeakable torture.

Joe Paterno’s legacy?

Penn State was forced to use its website to order university employees to do the obvious: Call 911 if you suspect abuse.

Joe Paterno’s legacy?

Verbal genuflecting from coaches who apparently remain indebted to the Nittany Lions coach for helping brainwash people incapable of having their priorities in order.

Joe Paterno’s legacy?

He crystallized the inevitable and rampant hypocrisy, if not criminal activities, in big-time college sports: Winning games conferred enough power to blind him to moral realities and ridiculously justify allowing an underling to allegedly commit heinous acts against defenseless, vulnerable boys.

Joe Paterno’s legacy?

The only good thing that might come out of this is that money-grubbing college presidents might regain control of their universities’ moral compasses instead of willingly being dictated to by the largely ethically challenged guys in charge of phys. ed.